Losing ground

When members of faith-based groups get together these days, one
concern is woven through every discussion: the flatlining or decline in
funding for global AIDS work. According to Father Rob­ert Vitillo, an
adviser on HIV and AIDS to Caritas Internationalis, this fund­ing
crisis is already affecting the church's work.

"I was in Uganda
in June. Our care workers there are being told that no new patients
should be put on the rolls, and in some cases people are being dropped.
Some newly diagnosed families are being told that they have to choose
which person will get treatment. Given the culture of Africa, that
means the family will divide up the medication to share it among
several members. As a result, no one will get well," Vitillo said.